Page:Diary of the times of Charles II Vol. I.djvu/407

present from the King of France of a diamond pair of pendants of 60,000 crowns, that there was a French Minister that was habile homme, the Captain of the Guard French. That when he was a-hunting he spoke to him of the public affairs, that he said he would do nothing to the prejudice of this State. That he was mightily unsatisfied with the measures that were taken in the Empire; he spoke as if all would be eaten up, but that he should be the last; he saith 'tis necessary to send one quietly, and that he will give instructions to Sir Gabriel Sylvius that would be of use to him. He told me that the Duke of Hanover had also been pressed by the French for an alliance, but he excused it, desiring to keep himself free; that he was mightily in our interest, and was very powerful, for he had 3,000 men, or four, and in war can hare sixteen. He mentioned the marriage between my lady and their son; they seemed to hearken to it, that they would send for him out of France, and send him into England. He saith that one of the chief things all our Ministers are to do is to conserve a good correspondence between the Elector of Brandenburgh and the Duke of Luxembourg: he advises the King to send some horses and dogs to the Duke of Luxembourg.